To continue on with the home selling series, I thought it would be beneficial to share our realtor experience. I am a realtor myself (contact me here if you have questions!), but we chose for me not to list our own house. At the time I was 8 months pregnant with two toddlers at home, and I was too emotionally invested.
We ended up firing our first realtor. This was our first home, so obviously the first time we’ve sold a home. When choosing a realtor, I thought it would be smart to just hire the most successful realtor in my office.
I was very wrong.
By choosing the most successful realtor, we also chose the busiest realtor. We did not receive the attention that was needed to sell our home. Promises were not kept, or kept in a timely fashion. Photographs and descriptions were not good. She was way overextended, and we realized that very quickly after listing our home. We figured out that basically the only reason she was as successful as she was, was because she had been doing it for so long and not because she was good. Lesson learned! That sounds really harsh, but when you are dealing with selling a large investment such as your home, professionalism and quality of work is key.
We hired another realtor friend after a few months and it made a WORLD of difference. She hired a professional photographer which made our home look a MILLION times better. The description and marketing of the home was on point. And her attention to our home and our needs was much better. Because of the improved marketing, showings multiplied exponentially. While the increased amount of showings and open houses was tough on me because I had to keep the house clean and prepped and leave, I was more than willing. More showings=more opportunities for a sale!
I am not saying that by choosing a successful realtor you won’t be pleased, I am just saying you should focus on the motivation of your realtor. The second realtor we chose had only been in the industry for three years, so while she didn’t have as much knowledge as the first realtor, she made up for it in raw determination. Ask around for recommendations to see who had good experiences with their agent. You can learn more from someone else’s experience than an interview with an agent.
You also want to choose a realtor that you feel comfortable with. In this day and age, communication is key. I loved that I could text my realtor and have a quick response. I felt like a valued client, but also that she cared about me personally. I recommend before you hire someone, test out your communication with them. Call/text them at random times. Make sure you vibe well with them before you hire them so you know you are a good fit.
Lastly, be clear about your expectations. What is important to you? Sell price? Timeframe? Visibility? Do you not want a lot of people through your home? Let your realtor know. If their marketing plan isn’t what you were expecting, then maybe you should interview someone else. It is better to take your time hiring someone then to hire and then regret it. Learn from my mistake!
If you have any other realtor or home-related questions, please let me know!
Check out my other posts in my home selling series:
Selling Your Home When You Have Young Children
Prepping for a Showing When You Have Young Children
What to do with Young Children During Showings
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